Teacher Leadership: Values, Beliefs, and Assumptions

Teacher Leadership

 

“Every school relies on teachers who informally and voluntarily lead various efforts in the school. These teachers may not be appointed leaders or paid leaders, but they are committed leaders, they see a need and they respond to it.”(Danielson, 2006)

 

 

 

 

 

What is Teacher Leadership



 

Charlotte Danielson defines teacher leadership as: “The term teacher leadership refers to that set of skills demonstrated by teachers who continue to teach students but also have an influence that extends beyond their own classrooms to others within their own school and elsewhere. It entails mobilizing and energizing others with the goal of improving the school's performance of its critical responsibilities related to teaching and learning.”

 

My Values and Beliefs as a Teacher Leader

As a teacher leader I value education, culture, collaboration with parent and community leaders,and team work. I believe that all children, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, income status, or gender, deserves to have the right to an education. Eucation provides knowledge about the world we live in. It also provides us with the skills to survive, problem solve, and communicate. Education helps us gain knowledge about the world we live in and the people around us. Culture is what makes people unique and special. In today’s school environments there are a variety of different cultures that represents the student body. Having knowledge about the different cultures that make up our world provide teacher leaders with the power to change how our children will learn. Maintaining effective communication and collaborating with community leaders and parents  is a  key component to a student's growth and development.

 

 

 

Assumptions 

 

Before I started studing for my master's degree I assumed that a teacher leader was simply a supervisor. Someone that dictated what needed to by done and who should do it. Now that I have more knowledge about my responsibility as a teacher leader my understanding of teacher leadership has changed. Effective leadership is generally accepted as key to success.  The quality of leadership matters in determining the motivations of teachers and the quality of instruction in the classroom.  Teacher leadership is the desire to make a change and to inspire others to want to change as well. Teacher leadership roles are involving teachers as being mentors, team leaders, curriculum developers, and staff development providers that are taking education to a new level.

 

 

 

Reference:

Danielson, Charlotte. (2006). Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/105048/chapters/What-Is-Teacher-Leadership%C2%A2.aspx on October 7, 2012.